Foot-controlled accelerator.



T. LIND.

FOOT CONTROLLED ACCELERATOR.

APPLICATION HLED JAN' IB. I919.

Patented, Apr). 22;1919.

THEODORE LIND, OF TAYLORVILLE, ILLINOIS.

FOOT-CONTROLLED ACCELERATOR.

Application filed January 16, 1919.

To all whom it may] concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE LIND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Tay lorville, in the county of Christian and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful F oot-Controlled Accelerator,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a foot controlled accelerator for motorvehicles, on of its objects being to provide a novel form of foot reston which the foot of the driver can be supported comfortably and whichwith a slight natural movement of the foot will cause the actuation ofthe accelerating mechanism A further object is to provide a foot rest ofthis character which steadies the foot of the driver and does away withunintentional acceleration such as often occurs when driving over roughground.

A further object is to provide a foot rest which reduces the wear of afloor and mat of the vehicle and prevents the foot from slipping out ofproper position.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which can beeasily placed in and removed from the position and which can be adjustedrelative to the driver.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the com bination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that within the scope of whatis claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown canbe made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. Sis a section on line 33, Fig. 2.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates arectangular frame provided in its top with'an opening 2 and in itsbottom with a smaller opening 3. Side openings 4 are provided in theframe for the reception of clamping bolts 5. These screws engage slots 6formed in the depending portions 7 of attaching plates 8 which areangular as shown. The laterally extending por tions of the attachingplates are adapted to rest on and to be secured to the floor of aSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

Serial No. 271,408.

motor vehicle and by loosening the bolts 5,

the frame 1 can be raised or lowered relative to the floor.

A spindle 9 is mounted for rotation in the openings 2 and 3, the upperportion of the spindle being of greater diameter than the lower portionand being provided with a flange 10 which bears downwardly on theframe/1. The said upper portion of the spindle has an elongated angularsocket 11 extending downwardly thereinto. A collar 12 is adjustably anddetachably mounted on the spindle and bears downwardly on the lowerportion of the frame 1. Another collar 13 is detachably and adjustablysecured to the spindle 9 below and close to the bottom of the frame 1and has a radial arm 14: extending therefrom for attachment to a rodwhich is not shown and which is adapted to be connected to thecarburetor of the vehicle.

The foot rest includes a sole plate 15 the right side portion of whichis upturned slightly to form a flange 16. The heel plate 17 of the restis integral with and slightly below the sole plate 15 and is providedalong a portion of the back and the left side thereof with an upstandingflange 18.

In using the attachment it is connected to the floor of the motorvehicle and after being properly adjusted and tightened, the foot restis placed in position by inserting into the socket 11 an angular stem 19which projects downwardly from the sole plate as shown. It will supportthe foot comfort-- ably and in a natural position and by turning thefoot slightly to the right it will cause the foot rest to move therewithbecause of the pressure exerted against the flanges 16 and 18. Thisrotation of the foot rest will be transmitted to the spindle 9 andthence through the arm 14 tothe carbureter, thereby to control the same.As the foot rest is adjustable angularly to any desired position it canbe arranged to fit the foot comfortably and can be used as a brace forthe body and at the same time be turned to the right or to the left toget the necessary adjustment of the carburetor. This adjustment can bevery minute and by having the foot rest turn about a substantiallyvertical axis, there is no danger of actuating the carbureter oraccelerator mechanism inadvertently as is often the case where theordinary foot piece is provided and the machine is traveling over arough piece of ground. The foot rest can be lifted readily out ofengagement with the spindle 9, thus to allow placing or removal of themat of the floor of the vehicle. The flanges 16 and 18 ar not very highand, therefore, the foot can be quickly and easilylifted out ofengagement with the rest.-

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a spindle mounted for rotation and adjustablysupported means constituting a bearing for the spindle, of meansoperated by the rotation of the spindle forcontrolling the carbureter, afoot rest, and a stem extending from the foot rest and detachablyengaging the spindle.

2. The combination with a spindle having a socket inone end, a bearingfor the spindle and means operated by the rotation of the spindle forcontrolling a carbureter, of a foot rest including a sole plate and adepressed heel plate, a stem projecting from the sole plate anddetachably seated in the socket in the spindle, and an upstanding flangeat one side of the sole plate and at the other side of the heel plate.

3. The combination with a frame and an attaching plate adjustablyconnected to the sides of the frame, of a spindle journaled in the frameand having a socket in its upper end an arm detachably connected to thespindle and revoluble therewith for controlling a carbureter, a soleplate, a heel plate integral therewith and offset downwardly therefromupstanding flanges upon one side 01 the sole plate and the opposite sideof the heel plate respectively, and a stem depending from the sole plateand detachably seated in the socket in the spindle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE LIND.

l Vitnesses JOHN H. LEIGH, BESSIE O. LEIGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

